Décidément on ne peut pas... 1870

Curator: Here we have Honoré Daumier’s lithograph, "Décidément on ne peut pas…" created in 1870. It’s a biting commentary from a tumultuous time. My first impression is one of grim humor, almost grotesque. The figures are so caricatured; their faces pulled into these strange, almost inhuman expressions. There’s something deeply unsettling about it. Editor: Absolutely. The work’s context is key here. Daumier created this print amidst the Franco-Prussian War, a time when nationalistic fervor clashed starkly with the grim realities on the ground. The war highlighted a crisis of leadership and challenged France’s image in Europe. We see that frustration in the cartoon. Curator: It’s a lithograph, so we see a lot of detailed line work that contributes to this sense of tension, the paper itself lending it an urgency akin to a newspaper illustration, fitting since it was made for a Parisian news journal. Editor: The caricature certainly hits home, the faces practically melt before your eyes and that says so much. Given Daumier's style, this exaggerates the men's expressions, highlighting arrogance and absurdity. One can feel the social commentary being put in motion! The title translates roughly to "Decidedly, one can't make them swallow a duck for a pigeon". Curator: I suppose the title may suggest someone trying to put up the idea of swapping lesser terms, for grander ideas, by political discourse! Given Daumier's well documented political activism, its likely he meant this towards Napoleon the III Editor: The class tensions of the period resonate powerfully; we’re compelled to view how power structures oppress people! He critiques the societal structures with such a focus on equality, resistance, and transformation; one sees Daumier champion marginalized communities, providing them with the support of the community he belonged to. Curator: Definitely. Knowing Daumier, it underscores a wider crisis of leadership during a key moment in modern France, one of intense industrial and political growth, where public role of art in politics of imagery truly played an important part. It forces us to look critically at systems of power, in France and everywhere else. Editor: Well, seeing it now contextualized, I see this piece of art more deeply! The art of protest and a powerful way of seeing one’s own role within it; Daumier pushes those ideas and continues to remain culturally relevant!